


postcard thanksgiving

by justalittlegreen



Category: MASH (1970), MASH (TV)
Genre: AU, Fluff, Gen, Schmoop, Thanksgiving, chosen family, claimed family, crabapple cove, hawkeye is the perfect 50s housewife
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-22
Updated: 2018-11-22
Packaged: 2019-08-27 19:20:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16708528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justalittlegreen/pseuds/justalittlegreen
Summary: Not in the sunshine and filth universe. The Hunnicutts always spend Thanksgiving in Crabapple Cove.





	postcard thanksgiving

Hawkeye kicks them all out of the house until three, which makes Peg nervous as hell, but one simply does not argue when Hawkeye's in his apron with a streak of flour over his eyebrow.

 

She and BJ take Erin to the park, to town to watch the town volunteers hang Christmas lights on the big fir tree, shivering in their little-used parkas. They keep walking to stay warm, find that Daniel's been kicked out, too, and the four of them find that the bakery is still open.

 

Inside, the baker's daughter smiles at them and offers Erin a raisin bun to warm her hands. The adults gratefully accept mugs of coffee and buy a pie as a thank-you.

 

"So, in town for the holiday?" she asks.

"It's a tradition," Peg answers. "We're whatever you'd call the opposite of snowbirds."

"I want it to snow," Erin offers. "We don't get any at home."

 

Daniel explains they've all been kicked out of the way while the cooking happens, and the baker's daughter raises an eyebrow. "Doc, you're telling me that the younger Dr. Pierce is a cook, too?"

 

"Wondering why you never married him when you had the chance?" Daniel teases. "He'd have had you in ninth grade when he asked the first time." Everyone chuckles, even the baker's daughter, who comes around to sit a minute and ask more about the visitors from out of town.

Finally, they can head back for the house, Erin watching the sky hopefully. When they come in, a fire is laid, and there's music playing. Mozart. The table is set for nine, and Hawkeye steps out of the kitchen in a fresh apron, beaming anxiously at the family. "Sidney and Molly are on their way. The turkey's almost done but I need an assist on carving," he finally sputters.

 

For a moment, none of them move. Hawkeye feels his eyes brimming as his family takes it all in. His family - who would've thought he'd ever be allowed to have this? Who would've thought he'd ever deserve this? 

In what world would he have had to travel twenty thousand miles to Hell just to come home?

 

Peg is the first to rush him, taking his face between her palms and planting a kiss on his lips. "You - you - darling, we would've helped, you know."

 

"Nah, I couldn't handle a second kitchen flood today," he quips, and everyone laughs. 

"Well," says BJ, "I suppose I can scrub in for that carving assist you asked for." As if it would be anyone else. As if Erin doesn't look forward to their surgeon-nurse routine over the turkey every year. They even don masks and gloves, doling out pieces and parts, BJ slapping the carving fork into Hawkeye's waiting hand. Sidney and Molly bring cranberry sauce, but other than that, the meal is Hawkeye, start to finish.

 

They eat until they can hardly move, giving thanks for peace and family and real gin martinis. Then, Hawkeye sprawls in front of the fire, Molly and Peg curl up on the couch, the kids run off and BJ, Daniel and Sidney do the dishes. Hawkeye lifts his head from time to time to peek at the three of them, side by side at the sink.

Later, there will be an entire meal of desserts. The next morning, Daniel will be up early with the kids, fixing French toast, and they'll spend the day in their bathrobes. BJ sleeps with Hawk in his childhood room, outfitted with a properly sized bed, now, though they still sleep curled as tightly as they did in an army cot. Erin relishes the chance to get her mother all to herself, and the two stay up late reading and playing cards. The house is at a constant low hum, the warmth reaching every corner of the beams and posts.

 


End file.
